Kidney & Ureteral Stones
Overview
Kidney stones a made from the waste materials in the urine. They can be as small as a grain of sand or sometimes as large as a gold ball. They can stay in the kidney (kidney stones) or they can move down into the ureter (ureteral stones). They cause pain when they block the flow of urine from the kidney into the bladder.
Factors that can contribute to stone formation are:
- Poor fluid intake
- Chronic or repeated urinary tract infections
- Misuse of certain medications
- Urinary tract blockage
- Being bedridden or immobile for several weeks
- Family history of kidney stones
- Certain genetic and metabolic diseases
Symptoms
Some stones may not cause any symptoms. They begin to cause symptoms if they block the flow of urine from the kidneys. Some common symptoms are:
- Severe pain in the back, sides or lower abdomen, which can move to the groin or genitals. This pain may last for several minutes to several hours, followed by periods of relief
- Nausea and vomiting
- Fever, chills and weakness
- Cloudy or foul-smelling urine
- Bloody urine
Diagnosis
Specialized X-rays, CT scans and ultrasound scans are used to determine the size, location and number of stones you have. Additional tests may be required as determined by your doctor. These include urine tests (urinalysis, urine culture), blood tests. Your doctor will decide if any additional tests are needed.
Prevention
Kidney stones can often recur. Prevention involved drinking plenty of liquids every day, and ensuring that any underlying medical conditions are treated. Changes in your diet, and/or medications may be needed to prevent the formation of new stones.
How Is It Treated?
Most small stones can be treated with increased fluid intake, managing pain and changes in diet and medication. In about three to six weeks, these stones will pass. Certain kinds of stones (uric acid) are sometimes dissolved using medications; however, calcium stones cannot be dissolved with medication. If your stones are too large, start causing symptoms or infection, obstruction or kidney damage, or if it has not passed after a period of time, you may require a surgical procedure to remove the stones.
Surgical Procedures
The treatment approach chosen by your doctor depends on the size and location of your stone. Minimally invasive treatments are the mainstay of kidney stone management. Open surgery is reserved for very complex cases. The advantages of the minimally invasive treatments are potentially reduced pain, no incision (small incision less than 1 cm for percutaneous treatments), shorter hospital stays and faster recovery.
